Periodic Reporting for period 1 - HyPELignum (Exploring wooden materials in hybrid printed electronics: a holistic approach towards functional electronics with net zero carbon emissions)
Berichtszeitraum: 2022-10-01 bis 2024-03-31
Humanity needs, to create a more sustainable society, to re-thinking its economy and to reduce greenhouse gases and its overall environmental impact. In this context rethinking of the existing electronics paradigm is crucial; currently, electronics are responsible for heavy pressure on our environment in the form of, for example, need for scarce and environmentally impacting resources (e.g. metals and petroleum), high energy and resource demanding manufacturing processes and large disposal rate (worldwide ca. 60 Mtons of electronics waste expected in 2021). The drive toward more sustainable/circular electronics has not only pushed strong legislative actions but has also seeded new paradigms as those of green electronics.
The ambition of HyPELignum is to demonstrate that manufacturing of electronics with net zero carbon emission is achievable by implementing a holistic approach, centred on additive manufacturing and wooden and wood derived materials with wood being a technically versatile biogenic material largely available across Europe. Importantly the activities proposed in the project strongly align with several of the activities/regulations of the European Union to address climate changes such as: New European Bauhaus initiative (EC-Bauhaus-Initiative), LULUCF Regulation and associated European Commission climate goals.
Key technical objectives of the HyPELignum project are:
(i) Promote the use of biogenic and sustainable materials, wood and wood derivatives, in electronics.
(ii) Demonstrate the applicability of lignocellulosic materials, bioderived resins and abundant and low impacting transition as main ingredients in the metals to be used in the manufacturing of electronic elements.
(iii) Develop of highly energy efficient μchip.
(iv) Design and demonstrate novel functional coating to facilitating the separation of the different materials (wood, electronic components and metals) enabling in this way easier recycling of them.
(v) Propose a decision-making tool, based on sustainability analysis (life cycle, toxicity, and biodegradability), to be used for the design of green and circular electronics.
(vi) Contribution to the consolidation of the definition of green and circular electronics.
To bring the proposed objective to life and to demonstrate the impact of the proposed vision the HyPELignum project will develop a series of demonstrators including:
(i) “greener” PCB (printed circuit board) concepts.
(ii) sensors integrated in construction elements and furniture.
(iii) System with detachable electronic components.
The ambition of HyPELignum is to demonstrate that manufacturing of electronics with net zero carbon emission is achievable by implementing a holistic approach, centred on additive manufacturing and wooden and wood derived materials with wood being a technically versatile biogenic material largely available across Europe. Importantly the activities proposed in the project strongly align with several of the activities/regulations of the European Union to address climate changes such as: New European Bauhaus initiative (EC-Bauhaus-Initiative), LULUCF Regulation and associated European Commission climate goals.
Key technical objectives of the HyPELignum project are:
(i) Promote the use of biogenic and sustainable materials, wood and wood derivatives, in electronics.
(ii) Demonstrate the applicability of lignocellulosic materials, bioderived resins and abundant and low impacting transition as main ingredients in the metals to be used in the manufacturing of electronic elements.
(iii) Develop of highly energy efficient μchip.
(iv) Design and demonstrate novel functional coating to facilitating the separation of the different materials (wood, electronic components and metals) enabling in this way easier recycling of them.
(v) Propose a decision-making tool, based on sustainability analysis (life cycle, toxicity, and biodegradability), to be used for the design of green and circular electronics.
(vi) Contribution to the consolidation of the definition of green and circular electronics.
To bring the proposed objective to life and to demonstrate the impact of the proposed vision the HyPELignum project will develop a series of demonstrators including:
(i) “greener” PCB (printed circuit board) concepts.
(ii) sensors integrated in construction elements and furniture.
(iii) System with detachable electronic components.
During the first 18 months of the project research and development activities have been carried out in the different WPs.
At the beginning of the project most of the efforts were focused on the definition of the specifications of the functional materials to be developed/used in the project. In the second part of the project, activities on the development of the first version of the functional materials (e.g. inks, coating and adhesives) and of the process for manufacturing devices and demonstrators have started.
Key activities have been:
1) Optimization of the process for the extraction of lignin and lignin reach cellulose from different starting feedstocks.
2) Development of rigid ecoPCB using cellulose and lignin reach cellulose as starting material.
3) Demonstration of the synthesis of bio-derived binders, adhesives, fire retardant and coating with controllable degradation.
4) Synthesis of highly electrically conductive and stable transition metal nanoparticles via a green synthetic process.
5) Development of different inks to be used in the printing of sensors and demonstrators.
6) Development of first examples of wood based electronic circuits.
7) Assessment of the environmental impact of electronic based on wood and other bio-derived polymers
At the beginning of the project most of the efforts were focused on the definition of the specifications of the functional materials to be developed/used in the project. In the second part of the project, activities on the development of the first version of the functional materials (e.g. inks, coating and adhesives) and of the process for manufacturing devices and demonstrators have started.
Key activities have been:
1) Optimization of the process for the extraction of lignin and lignin reach cellulose from different starting feedstocks.
2) Development of rigid ecoPCB using cellulose and lignin reach cellulose as starting material.
3) Demonstration of the synthesis of bio-derived binders, adhesives, fire retardant and coating with controllable degradation.
4) Synthesis of highly electrically conductive and stable transition metal nanoparticles via a green synthetic process.
5) Development of different inks to be used in the printing of sensors and demonstrators.
6) Development of first examples of wood based electronic circuits.
7) Assessment of the environmental impact of electronic based on wood and other bio-derived polymers
This project is still at a quite early stage to have a clear view on beyond the state of the art.
Nevertheless, some of the results achieved so far in the project can be highlighted.
Demonstration of the synthesis of Bisphenol A-free bio-derived coating with controllable degradation has the potentiality to improve the recycling of wood improving its lifecycle and increase the lifetime of its utilization.
Synthesis of highly electrically conductive and stable transition metal nanoparticles via a green synthetic process is expected to improve the performances (both electrical and handling/storage) and the sustainability of inks for the additive manufacturing of electronics.
Nevertheless, some of the results achieved so far in the project can be highlighted.
Demonstration of the synthesis of Bisphenol A-free bio-derived coating with controllable degradation has the potentiality to improve the recycling of wood improving its lifecycle and increase the lifetime of its utilization.
Synthesis of highly electrically conductive and stable transition metal nanoparticles via a green synthetic process is expected to improve the performances (both electrical and handling/storage) and the sustainability of inks for the additive manufacturing of electronics.